The Beal City High School baseball team loaded the bases on four separate occasions during Saturday’s Division 4 state title game versus Grosse Pointe University Liggett and scored all of one run from those chances en route to an eight-inning 3-2 loss to the top-ranked Knights (31-4).

The third-ranked Aggies (35-3) came within one hit of winning it, yet stranded 14 base runners in the game and came away empty-handed in the bottom of the first, second and sixth after packing the sacks.

Meanwhile Grosse Pointe University Liggett capitalized when it had a chance, which for all intents and purposes were few and far between.

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“It’s going to hurt for a while,” said Beal City head coach Brad Antcliff. “We played a pretty good baseball game today. We get a bloop single, we get anything to fall in (and we win). I’m not taking anything away from Grosse Pointe because they’re a good baseball team. We couldn’t get the key hit you know and we had 14 left on, that will cost you a game.”

The Knights, who close the season with a 20-game winning streak, broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh as two singles, including bloop to right, and a walk loaded the bases for Kevin Allen. Allen hit a deep sacrifice fly to right to make it 2-1.

In the bottom half of the frame Beal City rallied though against Liggett ace Connor Fallon.

Ryan Tilmann worked a walk and Chase Rollin singled to set the stage. Back to back walks to Carson Salisbury and Nick Hoogerhyde tied the game at 2-2 to force extras.

In the eighth the Ty Rollin, who took a no-hitter into the sixth, gave up a lead-off single to Cole Zingas. He advanced to second via a sacrifice bunt and to third on an infield single. He would score the game winner when Rollin attempted to pick off a runner at first and the ball got past first baseman Tilmann.

Beal City went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eight against Adam Fiema.

“Adam pounded the strike zone and got three outs,” said Liggett coach Dan Cimini. “There were plenty of times, including that seventh inning, where we walked two guys where I said maybe this wasn’t our day. Our guys didn’t give up and that’s why we won this game. We’re both even-steven ball clubs, both great programs, both storied programs. They should be super proud.”

The Aggies had a grand chance to score in the bottom of the first as Ty Rollin singled up the gut and Joe Rau worked a five-pitch walk.

A bunt single by Ryan Marshall towards third loaded the bases with no outs but University Liggett starter Mark Evan Auk got back-to-back pop outs to first before getting Corey Yuncker to fly out to left to end the threat.

In the second Ty Rollin set the Knights down in order and Kevin Bleise singled to right before being sacrificed to second by Salisbury in the bottom half. A walk to Hoogerhyde put runners on first and second. Ty Rollin then hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out before Rau grounded out to short to close the second. Through two frames the Aggies had stranded six to the Knights’ none.

Neither team did much in the third and fourth.

In the bottom of the fifth University Liggett changed pitchers and went with Fannon. He walked Rau who stole second with one out. A routine grounder to third by Chase Rollin was fielded cleanly but the throw was short of first and went to the wall in right.

Rau scored on the play to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead.

The Knights did the same in the sixth as they scored on a single and a throwing error to knot the game at 1-1.

In the bottom of the sixth the Aggies loaded the bases for the third time in the game, this time with one out, as Salisbury was hit by a pitch and Hoogerhyde doubled to deep right. Ty Rollin was intentionally walked to load the sacks before Rau hit in a fielder’s choice, shortstop to home plate, for the second out. A pop out to short ended the threat.

Ty Rollin took the tough-luck loss as he allowed three runs, one earned, on six hits while walking two and striking out five.

Chase Rollin led the offense with two hits. Beal City outhit the Knights as the Aggies had eight on the day. However the usually flawless Aggies committed three errors in the contest.

“That was a fun baseball game to be a part of and my kids better not hang their heads,” said Antcliff. “We did exactly what we needed to do to have a chance to win other than getting a base hit here which would have made it an entirely different game.”